Join HSP and area institutions (American Philosophical Society, Chemical Heritage Foundation, College of Physicians, Library Company of Philadelphia, Swarthmore College, Villanova University) in commemorating the centennial of WWI with the launch of “Home Before the Leaves Fall: The Great War,” a digital resource highlighting little-known primary source materials from the Delaware Valley region.

“Home Before the Leaves Fall” will be hosted by Villanova University and accessible at http://wwionline.org. On the site, HSP and other participating organizations will share their World War I materials, including images, memoirs, diaries, periodicals. These will be accompanied by contextual essays, news of commemorative events, interactive data, and geographic information system (GIS) mapping. The project aims to promote the use of these materials to students, scholars, and the public, and to commemorate the services and sacrifices of soldiers and civilians a hundred years ago.

The launch event will include physical and digital document displays of WWI materials, and Peter Williams, author of Philadelphia: The World War I Years, will be speaking on life in Philadelphia during the war. A reception will follow the discussion. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Speaker Bio:

Peter John Williams, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is an attorney and amateur historian with a special interest in World War I. Mr. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University in 1982 and a Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law in 1989. He currently practices law in the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey area. The photographs for his book were collected from various public and private museums, libraries, and collections; many of these photographs have not been seen for almost 90 years.